Travel Day + Carcassonne Experience

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Trip Start Apr 19, 2012 Previous
Entry Trip End May 26, 2012 Next
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  Sarlat And Carcasonne, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Thursday, May 10, 2012

May 9, 2012  - Day 16

PK headed down for breaky and left the diseased SK in the room as he is coughing so hard and would be a major distraction in the dining room.  Chris (host) organized an appointment with a Dr. down the street for 1 p.m.  We went out into the warm sunshine to buy some 'fois grois' to take home (no sharing).  You can all just and hope pray you will be invited to dinner at Maison du Kalitan when we return.  It was Market Day so we had alot of fun tasting and taking pics. Beautiful products from all over the region, shared and displayed with such pride.  Be it cheese, frois gras, sausages, snails, fresh vegetables, chocolate,
tapenade, fish, jams, cakes, bread, herbs, spices, wines, aptertifs, olives,
wine/fruit vinegars or cakes made with walnuts or even pottery.  All given out for
tasting with big smiles.  We headed back to Les Cordeliers and packed the car, said our goodbyes to our hosts and headed to the Dr.  Very nice English speaking fellow (golfer of course).  Said he sucked Predisone on the golf course - not sure what it does but he alluded to heping his handicap.  He prescribed meds for both of us.  We then drove to the pharmacy but PK wanted to wait.  Only 19 Euros for everything which is about $100 less than we would pay in BC.  We fired up 'jilly' and headed to Carcassonne.  It took us a good 4 1/2 hours travellig toward Toulouse and then on to Carcassone.  The countryside being quite wild but a lovely drive.  Partly on the Auto Route but some meandering as well.  We arrived around 6 p.m. at Hotel L'otrioi which is just below the walls of this medieval city. We checked in, then climbed up into the old city and had a bite to eat and came home to bed.  We think SK is coughing less - yeh!!!!! 

May 10, 2012  -  Day 17

SK slept better with only one coughing spell.  We got up around 9.  After our showers PK noticed a party of ants boogeying on our sheets.  We got the house keeper to peer in - and toute suite, the desk manager was up and suggested that we change rooms.  We went down for a bite of breaky - okay but very ordinary and won't repeat tomorrow morning.  After eating we changed rooms.  We eventually got out the door and up to the walled city to begin Rick Steves's self guided walking tour.  We wound our way up between the inner and outer wall, through a gate and then through an additional gate, continuing our way through narrow, ancient streets.  SK taking pics all the way.  The town is full of tacky shops and many restaurants claiming they invented cassoulet.  We have booked a very nice location for tonight and may just try it there.  We slipped into the Hotel de Cite to see how the wealthy travel.  Lovely garden out back with stunning views of the city.  Meals at this hotel are more than a mortgage payment.  We also went into the Basillica Nazaire. Beautiful stain glass. The church sadly is no longer in use. We were just in time to hear a 4 person group sing beautiful Russian gregorian chants echoing throughout the high vaulted Gothic ceiling.  We were so impressed that we bought their CD. The four chanters were of Russian descent.  The sun finally shone so we sat in the warmth sipping 'cafe au lait' and people watched for about an hour.  We headed home for an nap at 3 but these never seem to happen (at least for SK) due to blogging or email catchup.   This morning PK ran across the street to ultimately fill her prescription. She also has major coughing spells and as we are 1/2 way through our journey and have basically been under the weather since leaving Canada, we must return to good health soon. It is exhausting to be coughing and out of breath most of our day. This hotel has been an interesting stop. Very modern but in an old building. Across the street in the back there is parking in a locked courtyard. No lift to the rooms so you must lug all your bags up these winding spiral stairs. Tiny rooms but the local is perfect.  Just a 10 minute hike up to the Narbonne gate.  When we arrived and got the code for the parking -----# we drove in through the gates and unloaded our bags as the gate closed.   
After we got organized to return to the hotel with all our bags, we tried putting in the same code to open the gates so that we could leave. After trying numerous times and failing, we initiated another 'comical' discussion i.e. just having to sleep in the car.  Just as we were preparing to use our newly unlocked iPhone to call the desk, a head came out of a window up three stores from an unknown building next to the parking lot and the gentleman said "voitre luggage est sur a oeil - electronique" (your luggage is in front of the electric eye)  Sure enough SK had skillfully placed his luggage up against this electric sensor so that his suitcase etc., wouldn't get covered in dirt from the unpaved parking lot while I was inputting the code:(( Thats it for now.  Later we walked back up the hill around 7:30 to a restaurant called Comte Roger.  We ate inside and had a beautiful meal that consisted of Fois Gras, Cassoulette, and two beautiful desserts.  SK a chocolate treat and PK a lemon tart.  The main arrived in a traditional casserole dish with red wine vinegar on the side to assist with digestion (have to remember that trick).  The fois gras was presented beautifully with fig jam, and tiny squares of wine jelly that shimmered like jewels.  A bit of frize, touille sesame, and the thinniest toasts layed between each of the three of the most delicious pink pate.  The French know how to make it work.  The desserts were both elegantly served.  The chef came to the table to speak with us so we had a fun evening all baptised with a bottle of Chateau du Gouegazaud. Damm fine if you ask us.  Bon Nuit -off to Collioure tomorrow with a few interesting stops inbetween.  p.s. George, definitely some pics here for the 'little woman':))


Cheers, P & S

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